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Current Affairs 19 March 2026

BHAVYA offers new era of Plug-and-Play Industrial Development towards world-class industrial infrastructure. 

  • Key Features of BHAVYA
  • Objective: Developing 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across India with an allocation of Rs.33,660 crore. 
  • Industrial park is a planned tract of land with/without ready-built factories, and supported by shared facilities for multiple industries. 
  • Eligibility: Industrial parks ranging from 100 (25 acres for NE & hilly regions) to 1000 acres would be chosen. 
  • Duration: 6 years (FY 2026–27 to 2031–32). 
 

Small Hydro Power (SHP) Projects

  • Hydro Power plants with capacity of 25 MW or below are classified as Small Hydro in India. 
  • Could be either constructed on hill slopes utilizing small streams involving run of river type projects or on Canal Falls or Dam Toes. 
  • Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) looks after their development. 
  • Estimated Potential: 21133 MW from 7133 sites for power generation in India (IIT Roorkee.). 
  • Hilly States mainly Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand constitute around half of this potential. 
  • Classification (Depending on the capacity): Micro (up to 100 kW); Mini (101 kW to 2 MW) and Small Hydro (2 MW to 25MW). 

UNIGME Report 2025

  • The Levels and Trends in Child Mortality Report 2025 highlights that India has achieved a significant decline in its child mortality.
  • The report is released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNIGME).
  • Key Findings related to India
  • Under-five mortality rate reduced to 26.6 in 2024 from 127 in 1990, registering a sharp 79 % decline.
  • Neonatal mortality rate had fallen to 17 in 2024.
  • Infant mortality fell to 23.3. 
  • This progress is achieved  due to 
  • Targeted, demand-driven initiatives such as Janani Suraksha Yojana and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram.
  • Universal Immunisation Programme, facility-based newborn care, and Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses etc.

Patriot Missile Defense System

  • NATO is deploying U.S. Patriot missile defence system to the southern province of Adana in Turkey.
  • About Patriot Missile Defence System
  • PATRIOT is an acronym for Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target,
  • It is a ground-based, mobile missile defense interceptor developed in the United States.
  • It detects, tracks, and engages Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) cruise missiles, and short-range or tactical ballistic missiles.

Exercise Sea Dragon 2026

  • Indian Navy is participating in ‘Sea Dragon 2026’ near Guam Island (US territory) in North Pacific Ocean.
  • About Exercise Sea Dragon 
  • Annual  U.S. Navy-led multinational anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise.
  • Brings together forces from Australia, Japan and New Zealand, towards enhancing coordination and combat readiness in undersea warfare.

Anti-Dumping Duty

  • Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), Department of Commerce initiated anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of Ethyl Chloroformates (ECF) from China.
  • ECF is colourless, volatile liquid with pungent odour widely used as intermediate in pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. 
  • It is an organic compound, classified as hazardous. 
  • About Anti-Dumping Duty
  • Trade remedy that an importing country applies after an investigation that product of exporting country is causing material injury to domestic industry. 
  • If a product is exported at price lower than in home market, then it is said to be dumped. 
  • Governed by Anti-Dumping Agreement of World Trade Organization (WTO). 

Section 12 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

  • Maharashtra assembly passed the Wildlife Protection (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2026 for better management of human-wildlife conflict.
  • The proposed amendment will empower the state government to capture and relocate leopards from one area to another. 
  • The bill will come into effect only after receiving the President’s assent, as it proposes changes to a central law.
  • The amendment pertains to provisions under Section 12 of the Wildlife Protection Act,1972
  • About Section 12 of WPA, 1972
  • It empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden to grant permits allowing the hunting of wild animals for specific purposes such as scientific research, scientific management, etc.
  • Under scientific management, capture and relocation of any wild animal to an alternative suitable habitat can be allowed with prior permission from the central government.